The South Carolina coaching staff continued a big day on Thursday when it picked up another pledge on the defensive side of the ball.

Havelock (N.C.) athlete Pharoh Cooper, who projects as a defensive back for the Gamecocks, pulled the trigger Thursday evening.

The 5-foot-11, 184-pounder told GamecockCentral.com recently that he was considering a decision in the next couple of weeks, but chose to end the process even earlier than planned.

"I got it out of the way," he told GamecockCentral.com. "I just had a feeling about South Carolina. I talked for a while to my mom and dad about it and felt good about it."

Cooper was on campus earlier this year in Columbia, and that trip helped put USC over the top for him.

"I just liked everything about it. The campus stood out, the weight room, the locker room. All of the practices were really hype. That stood out."

The North Carolina product could play safety or corner for USC and Cooper also said he could potentially play some wildcat quarterback on offense. He informed defensive line coach and lead recruiter Brad Lawing of the good news about his decision.

"He asked if I was ready to jump in the boat, and I said I was ready to jump in. He was pumped, he was very excited."

Cooper is excited about his future in the Garnet and Black, and happy to join other recent commitments on the defensive side of the ball. He broke down what kind of player USC is getting.

"Another hard worker, a kid that's going to work hard every day in practice and get better every day," he said. "I feel good about it. They have three commitments in the last week or so, a couple of them that I know."

East Carolina and NC State also offered, with Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, and others also showing interest.

He is commitment number 12 of the 2013 recruiting class for South Carolina.

For more insight into Cooper's recruitment, become a subscriber or give us a shot with our free trial and check out these inside notes on USC's newest pledge.